Target shooters, hunters, and other users of firearms often mount telescopic gun sights or “scopes” to a firearm for improved accuracy. Typically, the barrel and/or receiver portion of a firearm, such as for example a muzzle-loading or breach-loading firearm, is drilled and tapped with a plurality of mounting holes for optional attachment of a mounting plate or base. Scope mounting rings engage the scope and are clamped to the mounting plate to securely affix the scope to the firearm.
Different manufacturers and/or models of firearms, however, commonly utilize different configurations of mounting holes. For example, firearm Manufacturer A may drill and tap its receivers for one type of threaded fasteners spaced a lesser distance apart, whereas firearm Manufacturer B drills its receivers for another type of threaded fasteners at a greater distance apart. As a result, a different mounting plate must be utilized to mount a scope to Manufacturer A's firearms than is used to mount a scope to Manufacturer B's firearms. This requires retailers to stock multiple mounting hardware types, increasing inventory costs and space requirements. And consumers shopping for scope mounting hardware are forced to study the various hardware to determine which is appropriate for mounting a scope to their particular firearm, which is time-consuming, inconvenient, and sometimes leads to incorrect purchases that must be returned and exchanged. Also, if a user wishes to remove a scope from one firearm and remount it onto another firearm, new mounting hardware is often required.
Thus it can be seen that needs exist for improved mounting hardware for attachment of a scope to a firearm, which eliminates the need for particularized components for different variations of mounting hole configurations. It is to the provision of a universal scope mount meeting this and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.